Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Dec 27: Freedom fighter and noted Gandhian, Babu Master (98), who remained a Congress leader till the end, died due to illness at his residence in Mallar near Kaup on Sunday December 25. He is survived by two daughters.

He had served many schools including Kaup, Mallar, Innanje, Puttur and Padupanamboor as teacher. He also had worked as the general secretary of Kaup Block Congress Committee, and member of Land Tribunal.

Babu Master was an ardent follower of Mahatma Gandhiji, and had jumped into freedom struggle launched by Gandhiji with full spirit. He also had taken part in several agitations, and was jailed many a time. He had taken the lead to organize anti-British agitations in Chikmagalur, Dakshina Kannada, and Udupi districts.

Master had taken part in many actions in association with Panje Mangesh Rao. He was part of the team which staged salt Satyagraha at Sultan Battery. He continued to stick to Gandhian ideals and wore only Khadi clothes. Because of his habit of distributing chocolates among the children, he was popularly known as ‘Children’s Gandhi’ in the region.

Rajya Sabha member, Oscar Fernandes, MLA, Lalaji R Mendon, former MP, Vinay Kumar Sorake, former ministers, Vasant V Salian and Jayaprakash Hegde, KPCC secretary, M A Gafoor, Kaup Block Congress president, Gangadhara Suvarna, Kaup Diwakar Shetty, and a number of other dignitaries have grieved the death of Babu Master.